Section 07: German Troops Mistakenly Enter Chemical Weapons Base

  The commander of the combat unit spoke calmly and sadly...

  On the evening of November 18, 1941, the 26th Motorized Infantry Division advanced eastward through a gap opened by friendly forces, bypassing Serpukhov.

  The Russians thought the German army would bypass Moscow from the south, and hastily moved their troops northward, leaving the road to the east unobstructed. The German army entered Stupino, shrouded in smoke and chimneys, within two days and nights.

  Stupino is located south of Moscow and north of Tula, a mysterious place that few people know about. Stupino has a north-south railway line, along which the German army entered the factory via a branch line, a large combined chemical plant that was intensifying production of raw materials for chemical weapons - hydrogen cyanide and potassium cyanide, with a monthly output of up to 5,000 tons.

  Stupino southeast, there is a small point factory developing secret gas masks, this gas mask has a new filter made of pyrogenic compound, it is not used to defend against the enemy's bacterial weapons, but to defend against their own, Stalin plans to use it before launching an offensive campaign.

  In fact, chemical weapons were not unfamiliar to the Soviet military leaders, as they had used them against enemies of the proletariat in the early days of the Soviet regime. With the help of chemical weapons, the 1919 Yaroslavl uprising was suppressed, and the famous Soviet general Tukhachevsky used it to quell a rebellion.

  In the 1920s, Germany and the Soviet Union, as international outcasts, had a fruitful collaboration in the production and testing of chemical toxins, which continued until the mid-1930s, when it was interrupted "due to changes in the political situation in Germany".

  The 26th Mechanized Corps also captured a document, which was issued by the Soviet High Command in August 1941, titled "Order on the production of chemical shells and bombs for August and September 1941". The document instructed: "Assign the People's Commissariat of Chemical Industry and Commissar Densiov to be responsible for producing more than 450,000 chemical aviation bombs filled with trotyl, persin, rozamin and other substances every month. Produce more than 1,120,000 lethal chemical shells of 76mm caliber and more than 500,000 other shells." At the same time, specific production tasks were assigned to chemical enterprises.

  The chief of staff was silently weeping and couldn't continue speaking. After a severe cough, the head of intelligence continued to speak with his head down:

  "...Bielefeld's deputy commander was eager to make a name for himself, personally leading the vanguard battalion. It was terrifying, the smell of gas could be detected from far away, workers wore simple protective suits, their eyes were dull, there were children, women, political prisoners and German POWs. Those German POWs were unmoved by the calls of their compatriots, like zombies. Only one soldier said: What are you doing here? In a few hours you will be dead, because this is hell."

  "I had just said that the workers had makeshift protective clothing, while we had nothing. As a result, batches of soldiers were dying from rotting away. I stood in the periscope and saw all this, I was convinced that I would die within days, but so far I'm still alive."

  "The Soviet chemical troops surrounded us and killed many of the corrupted German soldiers, for these German soldiers, being killed was a kind of relief."

  The only survivors carried the body of Major General Billfeld, a Soviet major general said, leaving a few living corpses for Hitler, no, report to the Fuehrer, let the fascists know that heroic Soviet scientists have the ability to develop the most advanced biochemical weapons and thoroughly eliminate any enemy who dares to invade. The whole regiment is left with only 10 of us, of course, all the things we captured, including documents were confiscated and destroyed on the spot.

  Bailuo was lost in thought, while Schimdt continued to write hastily. Rania's face was dull and the Prime Minister's expression was gloomy. He recalled the miserable experience of being blinded by mustard gas during the war.

  Ran Niya interrupted, saying that nowadays, mustard gas contains many more lethal substances than it did in the past.

  The 26th Mechanized Division carried out the battle plan personally formulated by the Commander-in-Chief, advancing bravely and entering the magnificent United Chemical Industry Zone. While destroying some factory facilities, they were contaminated with leaked chemicals and radioactive materials. The entire division of over 9,000 officers and soldiers had more than half die on the spot, and several soldiers still died every day.

  "Will it be contagious?" Belo finally spoke out his concern.

  "No, mainly mustard gas, of course not the same as that used by the Germans on the Western Front during World War I." The chief of reconnaissance vomited again after finishing his words and died of whole body ulcers the next day.

  Li De listened and, despite the turmoil in his heart, had to appear calm on the surface. He instructed that all remaining personnel of the 26th Mechanized Infantry Brigade be transported back home for a thorough examination and treatment. Incoherently, he said that this action was necessary, at least the German army had poked the Russians' sensitive parts with bamboo sticks, letting them receive a shock.

  Everyone thought that in order to give them a fright, several thousand crack German troops had gone to their deaths not from real bullets but from sheer funk. In the following days they continued to pay with their lives - a few days later Colonel Kao died of vomiting and diarrhea.

  Lee's fist slammed onto the table, with fresh blood seeping from his hand: "In my name, issue the order: The 2nd Air Corps, the 10th Aviation Corps of the 3rd Air Corps that has not yet been transferred to Africa, and the German 52nd Fighter Squadron, starting tomorrow, will launch a full-scale bombing campaign against Stupino and its surrounding chemical plants, to avenge the 26th Mechanized Infantry Division."

  "Bring more SD-2 butterfly bombs so that the Russians can't repair."

  ……

  A light appeared in the east, growing slowly larger and brighter until the sun rose, shining over the vast front from Murmansk in the north to Crimea in the south. When the first rays of sunlight touched a small hill east of Kozelsk, it was already mid-morning on the Crimean Peninsula, while Leningrad far to the northwest was still in the dark before dawn.

  A small group of people walked towards the frozen Ugra River, with hot air coming out of their mouths and noses condensing into layers of frost flowers that froze around their fur hats, just like a silver helmet on top of their bright red faces.

  They came to attend the funeral of their comrades. In a recent action, he was severely burned by chemicals and could not bear the pain, so he shot himself with his gun.

  There is a small highland by the river, even the most fastidious Chinese geomancer would appreciate this treasure land: facing the hometown's west side, a small stream flows, a small patch of white birch forest to the south and north, like guarding soldiers, can block the wind in winter and shade from the sun in summer, behind is a small slope, becoming a screen for the highland.

  Rania and Adelheid held hands, supporting each other with bouquets of flowers. Their faces were wrapped tightly in headscarves, leaving only a narrow slit for their eyes, while their mouths were sealed with a layer of white frost. It was a wonder how they could breathe. Women are strange creatures; even sworn enemies can pretend to be intimate as long as they don't tear each other's faces off.

  Several soldiers were panting heavily, carrying shovels, with burnt ashes around the grave and hot air rising from the freshly dug soil. The ground was frozen hard, so they had to use fire to heat up the earth before digging the grave.

  In the distance, a truck came swaying and swaying, with the coffin of the instructor in the middle of the cargo compartment, and several soldiers from the team guard squad standing on either side.

  The warriors jumped down from the truck and carefully unloaded the coffin. Li De took over the military flag handed over by the army commander, gently covering it on the coffin, then took over the Knight's Cross with oak leaves and swords from Bowman and placed it on top, and everyone lifted it together into the tomb.

  The military chaplain conducted the burial service.

  "With sword in hand, we are innocent." The pastor finished speaking and everyone began to sing "My Good Fellow Soldier":

  I once had a good friend

  No one is better than him anymore.

  When the war drum resounds through the clouds

  He fought side by side with me on the battlefield.

  Marching shoulder to shoulder towards the battlefield.

  ～

  Bullets whizzed by

  Is it for him or for me?

  Just watched as the bullet tore through him

  Comrade fell at my feet.

  It feels like my heart has died with him.

  ～

  I gritted my teeth and forced myself up the mountain, holding back tears.

  Comrades still try their best to help.

  This time he can't help me either

  Rest in peace

  My good fellow...

  A grave marker stood, adorned with an Iron Cross, inscribed in florid Gothic script: Generalmajor Billfeldt, of the German Empire, Freiburger, born 19 May 1898, died 17 December 1941.

  Li De personally delivered a eulogy:

  "…… Oberst i.G. Wilhelm Fahrmbacher was a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, acting commander of 26th Motorized Infantry Division of the German Wehrmacht, and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords to the Iron Cross, First Class Iron Cross, Second Class Iron Cross, Bronze German Sports Badge, Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze, and posthumously awarded Silver Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross."

  The biting cold wind carried the moving words of Yuan Shou to distant lands:

  "He faithfully fulfilled his oath to the Führer, for the highest ideal of the German people, for the eternal existence of the German nation, he fought against the Bolsheviks until his last breath and fell on the frozen soil he had struggled for..."

  Li De's fists were clenched in front of his chest, and he spat out puffs of white mist from his mouth:

  "One Bielefeld fell, but a thousand Bielefelds rose up, just like our great Teutonic warriors, bury the dead, wipe away tears, raise the flag high, tread on bloodstains and seize the final victory."

  The seemingly iron-hearted leader choked back a sob:

  "Comrade Billerfeld, rest in peace, rest among the flowers. Your spirit will live on forever, inspiring us to move forward always."

  The pastor's requiem echoes in the cold wind:

  Who can refuse comfort? In that slightly empty hall, there are the hesitant and lingering footsteps and eyes of our deceased loved ones.

  Who gently closes their eyes, who silently wipes away our tears, and who caresses the wounded eyes and soul.

  The nightingale hums a childhood ditty under God's protection and beside an angel.

  The flowers surrounding the altar have quietly bloomed, but the guardian of the altar has gone missing.

  Everyone stood still in the cold wind, with a solemn expression and a stern face. The biting wind swept across their faces, carrying the sobbing of two girls from different countries.

  As the direct superior of the 13th Army, General Ferber also had to say something. Since the Führer had said everything that needed to be said without leaving anything out, he only used Hugo's words from his speech "On the Anniversary of Voltaire's Death" as a farewell: "His cradle reflected the last rays of the setting sun of the monarchy, his coffin cast the first faint light on the great abyss."

  Finally, the soldiers fired a salute into the air, startling countless crows. A famous general of his time had passed away, been buried and was finally at peace.